Suicide- an alarming trend in Kashmir
By: Afridi Mushtaq
In the contemporary times when we all are facing quandaries around us in one shape or the other, it is unsettling to know that they have only overwhelmed us at the personal level and collectively as well. Lamentably, many a people rather than being steadfast against such onslaughts culminate life without fighting or resisting back. For them, the dynamics of life are a constant struggle and a pile of vicissitudes.
In our valley, we have news of suicide and attempts to suicide rolling in on a daily basis. Very recently, a woman from Srinagar jumped in the flowing Jehlem to end her life while a young man of barely 18 in my locality, in Islamabad, tried to burn himself to ashes by pouring Kerosene and settling himself ablaze.
Thus, the news of such incidents has become a trend in the valley and one can find that these unfortunate events are growing in number by each passing day. When a person faces difficulties in life and the agony seems beyond repairs, those who can’t handle the situation think of committing suicide and in the absence of any structural support system, many among them attempt suicide and many end their lives.
Suicide is haram is Islam. Being Muslim we should have faith that there is lasting punishment for transgressing in terms of Allah’s deeds. He has given us life and He only has the right to take it at the appropriate time. Allah is the all knowing.
One has to understand that suicide, according to psychological studies and researches, is a call for help and in the absence of help, a person is led to take the extreme step. There are several ways to reach to such people and if only we are conscious of our surroundings, our families, our relations, a lot can be done in this regard. It is about being alert to notice any such behavioural change and extending a helping hand to try and avert the tragedy.
Also, since we are a Muslim majority area, we must focus on the teachings of Quran and the sayings of the prophet (PBUH) and highlight various holy verdicts regarding this issue. There are certain verses of the Qur’an and verbalizations by the Prophet (peace be upon him) which tell us that those who perpetuate certain sins will be penalized. But then it is up to God to determine what penalization fits every single case, because God judges us individually, on the substratum of His impeccable erudition of our intentions and conditions.
It is true that suicide is rigorously verboten, because it is an affront to God. It is like a person verbally expressing to God: “You have given me life and I am taking it away.” This is what is denoted by the sacred Hadith in which God is quoted as saying of the one who commits suicide: “My auxiliary has precipitated My will with regard to himself! Consequently, I am enjoining him ingression into heaven.” But this Hadith applies to a person in full control of his faculties, suffering no inundating adversity and having a plausible life. If such a person commits suicide, then may be God will not sanction him in heaven.
A person who commits suicide as a result of any disorder like despondence or some other rigorous form of apprehensiveness is not in full control of the senses. We cannot verbally express how God will judge such a person, but we trust God’s equity, because He does not deal inequitably with anyone. We pray for the person concerned, and request for forgiveness. When a man committed suicide during the Prophet’s lifetime, the Prophet was distressed. He did not perform the janazah prayer for the deceased, but he authorized his companions to do it. When they did, they prayed for the man and requested God’s forgiveness for him. This shows that the Prophet did not omit the possibility of his being forgiven by God.
We require to fight with situation because as Allah verbally expresses after every hardship there is ease, we should be the firm believers and inshallah Allah will Rejuvenate us.
The writer is a student at Aligarh Muslim University
